Browns WR Gordon suspended 1 year

Browns WR Gordon suspended 1 year

<p>Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for the entire 2014 season after his appeal was denied by the league.</p>

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for the entire 2014 season after his appeal was denied by the league.

The yearlong suspension comes as a result of Gordon violating the league's substance-abuse policy and is effective immediately. The league said in its statement that Gordon's "eligibility for reinstatement will be determined following the 2014 season."

Gordon is not permitted to practice with the Browns, attend meetings or other team functions.

"I'd like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the Cleveland Browns organization and our fans," Gordon said in a statement released Wednesday by the NFL Players' Association. "I am very disappointed that the NFL and its hearing officer didn't exercise better discretion and judgment in my case. I would like to sincerely thank the people who have been incredibly supportive of me during this challenging time, including my family, my agent, my union, my legal team, and the Cleveland Browns staff."

Gordon met with league arbitrator Harold Henderson at the beginning of August to appeal the ban. His attorneys argued that Gordon was a victim of secondhand marijuana smoke.

The 23-year-old Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards last season. He was suspended the first two games and docked four game checks last year for failing a drug test. He claimed to have inadvertently ingested codeine contained in his prescribed cough syrup.

Gordon was selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft following multiple positive drug tests while in college at Baylor and Utah. He was also arrested and charged with driving while impaired in North Carolina last month.